1The New Start
by Hardwing
Summary: Demona has the Phoenix Gate back in her claws and she use it! The Characters aren't mine but of Greg Weisman and the *Dark Ages* crew.


1.The New Start  
  
02.01.98. 22:24 Destine Mansion  
  
Demona stood in front of the circle of power, which she had created in the early evening.  
  
~It begins~ she thought.  
  
The room in the mansion was dark except for the flickering lights of the candles that she was using. She did not want any electrical light, as it just disturbed the atmosphere and her concentration.  
  
Mother Nature seemed to be angry because of the sacrilege that one of her children was trying to commit. ~Should she be!~ Demona thought bitterly and smiled evily ~nothing can stop me now~.  
  
"De omnes est et caria," she spoke in almost a whisper and the storm, which blew outside, increased its power. No... Mother Nature was definitely not happy.  
  
But even when the candle flames in the mansion started to become bigger, it did not even interest Demona because a small point of red light had now appeared in the middle of the circle and was beginning to grow larger.  
  
"Cum noro evis tempi" she added and the point grew into a ball of fire, similar to the way that the storms power had increased. "Meus es nunc intervallia" she continued.  
  
After this last part of the sentence was spoken, a window in the higher part of the mansion broke because it could not resist the power of the storm any longer and all the candles went out so that the scene was just alighted by the ball of fire. Demona's smiling increased more and more. Then she put her right hand into the fire and began to feel around inside.  
  
The pain was like hell in the truest meaning of the word, it was the most terrible burning wound that Demona had ever had, but it was all the same to her, even if it seemed that the fire would burn everything in her, including her bones.  
  
Suddenly, she could feel something in the fire and after a while, she was able to grab it and pull it out.  
  
~I have it!~ Demona thought, triumphal, before looking at her arm. The flesh was burned away to the elbow, so she could see her bones, but she was not interested in this nuisance, it would heal again like it always did. Instead, she looked at the object that she held in the bones of her claw, which were just held together by burnt sinews.  
  
She gave her claw the order to open, but her arm did not have the nerves to forward the order and the muscles to obey, but Demona definitely did not have the time to wait.  
  
~Actual~ she thought, amusedly ~I have the all time of the world~.  
  
The ball of fire had disappeared and Mother Nature had given up the protest against the ritual with her thunder and lightening. She reached out her good hand to touch the object and get it out of her fleshless right. At first, it looked like she would have to break her bones to get at the object, but a sinew finally gave in and she had the object of her desire in her good left claw.  
  
"Finally... After all this years!" She spoke respectfully whilst looking down at the Phoenix Gate in her claw and smiled cunningly. It was the same Phoenix Gate, which one half of it had once been possessed by her in an unthinkable time when she had given the other half of it to Goliath as a sign of their eternal love.  
  
~eternity~ Demona thought bitterly, ~in those days, I did not know the meaning of this word~. But now she knew it and now she would really use the Phoenix Gate. She smiled evilly, this time she would betray the timeline and nothing would be able to stop her.  
  
03.01.98 20:03 Castle Wyvern  
  
Goliath woke up and welcomed the evening with his usual roar. Below him, he heard the roars of the other clan members. "Good evening Goliath" said a voice behind him. He looked around and saw David Xanatos standing there with a smile. "Good evening Xanatos" he greeted back and stepped down off his sleeping perch.  
  
"Would you please follow me?" With this words, Xanatos began to step down the stairs and Goliath followed, wondering. "What is it?" He asked.  
  
"It has something to do with Demona" Xanatos explained and Goliath stiffed. This was the moment he had feared the last months when they did not hear anything of her, when it came out that she had used this time to work out a new scheme for the destruction of humanity... or worse. "What has she done?" He asked, emotionless.  
  
Xanatos turned around, looked in Goliath's eyes and understood. "No no Goliath, nothing bad, call it a pleasant surprise." With this words, he turned around and continued walking down.  
  
~A pleasant surprise?!~ Goliath thought, confused ~is this possible with my sister?~.  
  
Goliath followed him with a bad feeling in his stomach. ~what has she planned this time?~. When they arrived down, Goliath saw the rest of the Clan, waiting in front of the door, which led into the castle. They had obviously been stopped by Owen, which did not make them happy. He saw Bronx, who was restlessly wagging his happy tail and scratching at the door.  
  
"What is going on Xanatos?" Asked Brooklyn, angrily.  
  
"I would even like to know this" said Goliath, confused. He heard many muffled voices coming from behind the door and asked himself, who was waiting there?  
  
Xanatos smiled, a smile which reminded Goliath of a spontaneous car seller on TV. "I didn't want to ruin your surprise." After these words were said, he nodded to Owen who opened the door....  
  
Goliath had one of the biggest shocks of his live. In the great hall, were nearly 150 gargoyles and some gargbeasts assembled and not just any Gargoyles, but as far as Goliath could tell. It was all of the Wyvern clan that had been destroyed by the massacre in 994AD and even some Gargoyles, which Goliath was not able to identify.  
  
It was not that Goliath or one of the Gargoyles, who stood beside him, would have been able to notice all this, as they were all just looking on, speechless, at something that was impossible. They finally went, driven by an unimaginable feeling of luck, into the hall to greet the family that they had thought long since dead.  
  
Goliath was going to follow them, but Xanato's arm on his shoulder stopped him. "Wait Goliath" Xanatos said.  
  
"Xanatos, how is this possible?" Goliath asked, still confused "is it an Illusion?"  
  
Xanatos smiled and shook his head "no, you can convince yourself of this soon." With these words, he handed a envelope to him. "But read this first, there should be everything you want to know." Goliath nodded, and left the door while Xanatos went inside the hall. Although he would very much love to reunite himself with his brothers and sisters, his curiosity was more powerful.  
  
He opened the envelope with one of his sharp talons and then, something fell into his left claw. He recognized it, instantly... "This is impossible" he whispered, more confused than before. The Phoenix Gate was lost in the Time-stream forever, as he himself had ensured this by throwing it into the Time-stream without anyone's mind to led it. Bewildered, he placed the Phoenix Gate on his belt and took the letter out of the envelope. He read:  
  
Goliath  
  
You have surely found out by now that your Clan is living again. You even know that I have used the Phoenix Gate to do this and are asking yourself how it is possible, as you know that we cannot change time. Indeed, I have changed nothing in the past, but merely interpreted it. When you came back on the night of the massacre and thought you saw the shattered remains of your clan, you indeed saw shattered statues, which I had ordered by some very capable stonemasons. Naturally, these do not fit for the parts that Coldstone is created from, on which I will come back to later. Aside from the Wyvern Clan, I have even so brought back the Clan that I lead during my alliance with Macbeth along with some eggs, which will hatch soon. I assume they will want a uniting of Clans after the old rules of our race. Please, I assume that you will allow this? If not, I have even so brought back three old clans from Scotland, of which I knew had been shattered and one in Paris, at Notre Dame, so there should not be a lack of possibilities. In the envelope is even a list with the numbers and positions of the other Clans, so you should be able to achieve them. If you have the possibility to bring back other clans with the help of the Phoenix Gate then please do it, if not then keep it safe. I need not say to you how dangerous it is.  
  
Coldstone and our other brother and sister, you can help also: Take the three parts of Coldstone's body and give them to Sevarius. He knows what to do, as I have paid him well. He will then make out three soulless Clonebodies, in which you can transfer the souls of the three with the help of Puck. If he is not able to do so, I have added in the envelope, a magical scroll, which should enable every person to do the ritual to transfer the souls, even if he does not understand magic(naturally it would be better to find someone who is able to do so).  
  
Now there is the question on what to tell your Clan? Tell them everything and do not leave anything out, but please Goliath. Please swing no large sermon about how you like it so. I can't do this because I am in my plane, on my way to Europe where I will stay. Dominique Destine will led Nightstone at her new headquarters in Europe. Tell Angela of me and tell her that I am sorry for what happened some months ago and that I can not be the mother that she needs and yearns.  
  
Demona  
  
P.S. I have not changed my opinion about humanity, but have stopped trying to destroy them all, but I will kill any and every human who dares to attack me.  
  
Goliath looked at the letter, as it was so unbelievable. He had never assumed that Demona was so powerful a mage and that she would use this power to... ~Unbelievable~ he thought, still confused ~simple unbelievable~. But something disturbed him, as she spoke of his clan! ~But it is your clan too sister!~ Goliath thought bitterly ~now more then ever before! Why do you choose to be alone again?~ But he could think about this later, now he had to introduce his clan... both clans, into the new world.  
  
During this and shortly before, in the Great Hall  
  
Hudson spoke with one of his Rockery brothers, one of the few left, and laughed. He looked around, saw Bronx playing with some other Gargbeasts, the Trio excitedingly talking with some of their brothers and sisters, and Angela getting to know others of her own age and becoming more happy.  
  
"Hudson?" He turned around and saw a smiling Xanatos standing behind him. "Aye?" "Can you come with me please?" Hudson looked around to his brother, but he was already talking with someone else. Hudson nodded, actually he wanted to talk with his Rockery brother, but Xanato's intonation showed him that this was urgent. So he followed him through some corridors, away from the happy, but very confused assembly in a remote part of the castle.  
  
"What is going on Xanatos?" Hudson asked, confused "what shall I do here?" Xanatos looked over his shoulder and smiled "there is someone whom Demona was just able to bring back, under great troubles, and who means something very much to you if it is true what she told me." He answered whilst smiling.  
  
"Whom?" Hudson asked breathless, he had a light suspicion, but did not risk to speak it out because he feared it just would be the dream of an old man.  
  
Suddenly the door in front of them was kicked open and a Gargoyle came out of the shadows, while Xanatos stepped aside.  
  
It was a woman who stepped out of the shadow, her skin was water green, her hair which surrounded a beautiful face was fair. She wore, like Hudson, a body-armour and so looked ever ready for war like she was.  
  
"My mate?" She asked, confused when she recognised the Gargoyle in front of her. It was her mate, but he looked like he had aged by years and he had a scar around his left eye. Hudson ran like mad to his Angel of the Sea and embraced her so strong that she thought for a moment that she would be crushed to death by him. Then he relaxed his embrace and looked into her eyes, unsure if this was a dream. "You are real!" He said excited and wept for a moment like a hatchling. "But how is this possible? You died in my arms!"  
  
She looked at him, now more confused than ever. "No," she said "I prepared myself for the battle against the Vikings, when suddenly a ball of fire appeared and the lassie whose hair is like fire, but years older, came out of it. She spoke some mysterious words... Latin I think, and suddenly my shadow seemed to lift up and go far away. Then she grabbed my arm, spoke again something in Latin and then we were in the room where I just came from. Then she threw me, very harshly I have to say, on the bed and told me I should wait there on someone called Hudson and greet him."  
  
Hudson smiled, this was Demona's way. He would have embraced the lass at that moment if she were present. ~Besides~ he thought ~where by the dragon is she?~ "I am Hudson," he explained calmly "it seems like Demona had no time to explain to you about everything." He still thought ~a ball of fire?~ He asked himself ~she must have gotten the Phoenix Gate back in her claws~.  
  
"You are he, my mate?" She said and Hudson nodded "aye."  
  
"But you are much older." She asked, confused. Hudson nodded again "it was a time-travel Demona made with you. This is the future... a far future."  
  
"Demona?" His mate asked, confused "so the red haired has been named now?" She assumed and her mate nodded. "How did she come to such a name?" She asked.  
  
Hudson smiled calmly "a long story my Angel of the Sea..." he started, but he was stopped by Xanatos who said "which Goliath will surely tell you all about in due time in the Great Hall."  
  
Hudson's mate saw Xanatos the first time and looked directly into his face "and you are?" She disliked how this man smiled.  
  
"I am David Xanatos, owner of this castle," he explained "if you would please follow me Madame!" He walked down the corridors, to the hall and after she looked into the eyes of her mate, who still looked at her like she was a ghost, she followed him. ~I hope he really has a good explanation~ She thought and so united herself with the rest of the clan.  
  
04.01.98 2:53 Castle Wyvern  
  
Hudson's mate stood alone at one of the perches and looked down on the town. ~New York, what a name!~ She thought excitingly, and this was now her city, her protectorate. She smiled, in the last 1000 years and the last 6 hours, so much had changed for her. Her old clan has changed since she *died*, the generation she had seen growing into warriors now led the clan, the generation that she had just saw as hatchlings were now warriors.... all had changed!  
  
The clan, which had now merged with the other clans, started to choose names for themselves, but this just was one of so many things that had changed. Goliath was leader now. It had not surprised her very much about who Goliath was. He had already, in the past, attracted her attention by his enormous size and his good qualities, which qualified him as a future leader and it made her very happy that he had developed in this way, she thought.  
  
~What a pity that the other did not~ she thought bitterly and reminded herself on the young warrior with the fiery red hair ~Demona now~. She had to force herself to not be overwhelmed by her rage, but her eyes started to glow red. She thought of what Goliath had told them and then, in an eye to eye talk with her mate, she heard the whole truth about Demona, about what Goliath had not told in consideration of the hatchlings. She thought of it and would have crashed the stone in front of her, if a voice had not suddenly spoken behind her.  
  
"Something make you angry my love?" Her mate asked her calmly and stepped beside her. He looked at her and his eyes seemed to touch her soul. "Or should I better say. someone?"  
  
She smiled ~he knows me~ she thought happily and looked at her mate, although he was now one generation older than she was, she still loved him and always would. "Is it so easy to read me?" She asked, but her mate shook his head "Nay, but it is natural that you think of this lassie." He smiled "besides, you stand at her former perch." His mate looked down on the perch and her smile faded, indeed it was. Even if Demona had slept on another place in the last few centuries, this was the place where she had slept during the time when she had been trained by her teacher.  
  
"How could she do this?" She asked, more disbelieving than angry. "How could she betray the clan?! Twice!" Hudson looked at his mate, as he had expected her to take it hard. And when Goliath had told the story of Demona's betrayal, even when he told it very calmly, it had hurt his mate most of all. First, she had looked disbelieving and then more angrier than he had ever seen her before in his life. Would Demona have been there, his mate surely would have launched herself on her and nobody, not even the whole clan, would have been able to stop her. Hudson did not doubt on this.  
  
~And the lass didn't either, so it seems~ Hudson thought, happy to discover one reason why Demona was not there. Angela has been back from her visit, to the mansion of her mother, which they knew of since Elisa had searched for all information about Dominique Destine, but which was completely empty now and it did not look like Demona planned to move back in there again for the next two centuries. ~Which makes Angela very sad despite all that her mother has done~ Hudson thought ~surely more than Demona would ever think~ And he asked himself if the clan would be able to fill this hole in Angela's heart... he doubted this, as Angela was too much like a human in these things.  
  
"Demona did what she thought was necessary, by the first time like at the second." He tried to explain Demona's deeds and found himself in the uncomfortable position to defend her.  
  
"She killed the clan!" His mate noted, but Hudson shook his head. "Actually they all looks very living my love. Especially one part of it that I missed very much."  
  
She looked at him, then smiled and embraced him. "Nothing can separate us." she explained and he smiled, too "aye, I know." Again she looked at the horizon, as if she were waiting for Demona to appear suddenly. "But I still can not believe what the redhead... Demona did!" She cursed now and called Demona some names that Angela had better not hear... ever. "She was second and she betrayed Goliath, her own mate. And now, after all she did in the last 1000 Years... She does not even have the courage to come in front of the clan and explain herself." She looked angrily at her claws, how they opened and closed. ~oh, if she would be here now!~ She looked at her mate again "but I won't let her off so easily my love. She owes the clan an explanation... and she owes it to me! And I will take it, I SWEAR!"  
  
Hudson winced by this, as he knew his mate. She would keep this vow and nothing would be able to stop her. "Yes you will....," he was reminded of something that he had read some time ago and smiled, "Deborah." She looked at him, questioningly, "Deborah" she repeated "I like this name, where is it from?"  
  
Hudson looked at her "from the bible. She was a powerful woman, a judge who judged armies." Deborah smiled and nodded ~and I will judge~. "A good chose my mate..."  
  
He smiled "but now, stop thinking of her and let us join the others. They are planning a party, perhaps the largest celebration in the history of this castle! We should not be absent." Deborah nodded and followed her mate. ~I will find you wherever you are~ Deborah swore anew for herself ~and just because there is now an ocean between us, do not think that that will stop me! You still have a lot to learn my former pupil~.  
  
To continue... 


End file.
